Are You Going to Kiss Me, or Not?
by SirPrickles
Summary: After a terrifying ordeal, Bombalurina wakes up in the Jellicle junkyard to a pair of sly green eyes watching her... and an attitude to match. A battle of not-quite-wits ensues. Or, how Bombalurina and the Rum Tum Tugger had their first kiss! Rated T 'cause they're a passionate duo, but it's pretty safe. Oneshot for now.


She awoke to an unfamiliar smell.

Bombalurina pushed herself up. Blinking, trying to ignore the dull ache in her sides, she squinted, focusing on the blur of black and gold.

"Demeter?" her voice shook. Her gaze sharpened, suddenly, confirming what her nose was hinting – a hint of clove, cinnamon, and musk - this cat was not her sister.

Rather, it was a large, muscular tomcat; full-grown, who might have been threatening if he weren't lounging with his shoulders thrown back, one long leg dangling while the other bent at the knee for the sole purpose of resting a paw. His posture screamed "bored"; the only indication otherwise was the stilled motion of his tapping tail. Lazy green eyes still rested on her with an indecipherable expression.

Bombalurina looked across the clearing blankly. He was startlingly attractive. Young, like her. One small corner of her mind nagged that there was something familiar here; something she'd seen before. She pushed it aside as her own big amber eyes swept over her unfamiliar surroundings—tin cans and old tires stacked high, piles of human junk everywhere; some tottering, some as old and solid as stone monuments in a park.

The ground beneath her splayed paws felt strangely soft. She glanced down, surprised to see a fairly new pillow neatly arranged under her body. She dug her claws in, wonderingly. Demeter would die to feel this!

"Where's Demeter?" she asked the lounging tomcat, as there was no one else in sight.

His leopard-spotted paw, which had been fiddling with his belt, stilled, and he replied: "They're questioning her right now."

"Questioning?" Bomba sat up straighter. "They?"

"Just a little chat. It's _procedure_," he drawled, then muttered to himself, "and I get saddled with the delightful task of watching you sleep."

Bomba rose from her knees to her feet. Her sides ached something awful. The last thing she remembered was Demeter's terrified face, the gritty taste of curbside gravel and the metallic tang of blood in the air.

The dog, the car, the chain-link fence - it had happened so fast!

"My brother found you two," the tomcat said, the slightest trace of curiosity in his face. "Just inside the junkyard, collapsed. In plain view of the street and any humans who happened to pass by."

"This is the Jellicle junkyard?" Bomba exclaimed, suddenly excited. She didn't need an answer - she knew it was. Memories flooded her. Last night some instinct, some unbidden force had driven them to this place, the place their mother had spoken of so fondly.

The place where Grizabella had once lived, with friends and family - where Bombalurina and Demeter might have been born, if their mother hadn't left. They had visited once, and it was the best time of her life. Bomba let out a pleased sigh as she looked around. This pile of tires to her right – yes! That was where she and Demeter had played as kittens!

"I need to see Demeter." This time her voice rang out clear and confident.

He examined his claws. "No."

A tickle of temper started in her chest. "Excuse me?"

"That's better, but still no." His tone was amused.

Bomba glared at him. He was making her angry, more with his refusal to engage than with his answer. "Say again?" she asked, low and threatening.

"Munkus told me to keep you here. One must always do what Munkus says when he's on-duty, or he'll nag you to death."

Munkus – Munkus - Munkustrap? Bomba's brow scrunched in remembrance. A grey tabby kitten, friendly, but a stickler for rules. Loved 'em. But…her eyes widened. Of course, he was all grown-up now. Like her and Demeter.

"So," the maned tomcat said, "cool it, Red."

Red? That was some kind of joke! Bomba knew she was a rather dingier color than red at the moment. She hissed. "I'm seeing red, alright…" Her claws came out, automatically. Up ahead, there was a gap beside the pile of tires into the main Jellicle junkyard. She was sure to find Demeter that way.

But that pathway was mere feet away from the annoying tomcat.

She forced a deep breath all the way into her lungs, and spoke again, trying for a calm, rational tone. "Listen—my sister needs me."

His brows contracted, and he sounded less careless, more gentle than before. "She's in good paws."

"You don't understand. She's not - she doesn't like – " Bomba sighed and raked a paw through her headfur in frustration. "She needs me!"

"Are you sure it's not _you_ that needs _her_, Red?"

Bomba's attempt to be calm failed spectacularly. She spat, "Listen, _you_ \- I don't care how fluffy your mane is or how pretty your eyes are, or how well that stupid belt fits you, you can't keep me here!" She hadn't meant to say all that, but regardless, she took a deep breath and marched straight through the gap.

With the speed of a bird of prey, he sprang from his perch and landed directly in her path, tall and immovable, inches away from her trembling body.

Bomba drew her breath sharply, overwhelmed. She backed up instinctively, her back and rear butting against the stupid pile of tires, leaving her rather trapped when his paws came to rest on either side of her shoulders.

She blinked, and forced herself to look up at him, grudging admiration in her eyes. "You're fast, Big Boy."

His smug grin was almost playful. "And you're… very red." Bomba felt her cheeks burn and cursed them soundly. Up close, his eyes were greener, more intense. And there was a familiarity lurking under those half-closed lids… was this someone she had known as a kitten? Probably…

Bomba turned her face away. Her thoughts raced. Why wouldn't he let her see Demeter? Was Demeter… hurt? She bit her lip, trying desperately to think a way out of this heated situation. Never mind that he was much too close for comfort and her emotions were battling; the idea of getting free to find Demeter was competing with the horrific thought that she didn't mind, really, getting better acquainted with this curious tomcat…

Her heart beat furiously. She tried to ignore the heat emanating from the male in front of her. To her absolute horror, her nose started prickling, and a hot tear forced its way down her cheek. Bomba clenched her paws shut, refusing to give that tear the satisfaction of being wiped away.

"Bombalurina."

Her ears jumped. Wordless, she stared at the tomcat. She knew him now. It had been years, but she couldn't believe she had forgotten…

He shook out his mane. "Demeter is fine. Safe. And you are, too."

"The Rum Tum Tugger," she said. A sudden giggle escaped her, amazed. He had gotten so tall… Bomba let her eyes roam freely, seeing the changes time had made to him, from the golden mane and sleek black body to his striped tail. They had played together as kittens. She had been very fond of him, although half the time he was as infuriating as anything.

An incident long past came to mind. "You bit my ear! And scratched me! And stole my lizard!"

"You scratched me right back," he grinned, no longer aloof.

Bomba giggled again. "You started it! You _always_ started it!"

Tugger made a face. "No way, Red. You're the one with a temper."

She looked up at him. "How did you recognize me?"

He was amused again. "You're red."

"I am _not_ the only red cat in the world," she said, not amused. "My mother was red, too. And I'm willing to bet you that there are others."

"But how many," his nails traced lightly over one of the deep black spots on her leg, "have these rosettes?" His touch made her skin crawl, not unpleasantly. He seemed closer than before. Bomba' s breathing hitched. She blurted:

"Can I see Demeter now?"

He recoiled at the question, scowling. "Still no."

"What, are you going to scratch me again?" she said, very much in a tizzy.

"Oh no," Tugger said, cocking an eyebrow. "No. I'm on to bigger and better things." He licked his lips.

The sight of his tongue startled Bombalurina. That, along with the knowing look in his eye, caused her heart to pound. She wouldn't be surprised if he could hear it, too.

"Oh?" Bomba said, innocently.

Tugger nodded. "So don't be asking for it -"

She'd do him one better. Bomba pushed forward and caught his open mouth with her own, full lips pressing tightly into his. Her paws tentatively traced up his chest, tangling and losing themselves in the thick golden mane at his shoulders.

Her eyes stayed open just long enough to see the shock on his face before it darkened with desire. Closing her eyes, she was surrounded by his smell, his taste, his arms coming around to hold her tight.

He took over the kiss, driving her head and body back into the tires. She gasped as his claws dug into the small of her back.

An explosion of golden fireworks in a velvet black night. The decadent taste of cream and something raw underneath. The sun flashing on a hot summer day. Every sensation rushing through her body was better than the next. She'd never kissed before, but if this was what it felt like, she didn't want to stop. She pressed closer, her thoughts wholly on the feel of Tugger's lips against hers.

When they finally broke apart, breathing heavily, eyes locked, there was an awkward silence. Bomba hadn't meant to show that much passion. She kept her eyes on the tomcat, who didn't speak at all. Suddenly she realized, with horrid clarity, that he never meant to kiss her. The knowledge made her shy.

Tugger stepped back, and dropped unsteadily onto an old carton.

Bomba said, as brightly as she dared, "Well. I'm going to see Demeter now, right?" She was sure her cheeks were as red as her fur.

Tugger opened his mouth to protest, but simply sighed. Bomba held back a triumphant smile. Of course, now that she seemed free to go, she wasn't sure she wanted to… there was so much to talk about…

"By the way, Red, you scratched me. Just now."

Bomba rolled out her shoulders and hips, fluffing the fur along her sides and smoothing it into place. It wouldn't do to visit Demeter looking like a wild thing. An irrepressible smile hovered on her lips. "Well, you scratched me right back." She gave a quick last glance to the tomcat, who was leaning forward on one elbow, a smirk plastered on his face. Her smile brightened in return, and she stepped past him, heading towards the Jellicles' main clearing.

He watched her go, his smirk softening. He leaned back and closed his eyes, fingers playing with his studded belt once again, the smile on his face not likely to leave even if Munkustrap berated him for letting Bombalurina roam free.

He'd catch her again. And next time, he'd make sure he was the one to kiss first.

**A/N: Howdy, folks. It's been a while since I've written anything, but in a show of good faith, I hereby release this oneshot, which has been in the works for… er… let's just ignore that part. **

**I must declare that I got Tugger's unique scent from CranberryCrumbles, who inspired me with one of my FAVORITE Bomba/Tugger takes. (Go check out her story, "Hard to Love"!) **

**Comments, edits for typos, and suggestions for future fics are always welcome.**


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